WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy needs more ships and needs them fast, the chief of naval operations said this week. But beyond that, the service might be on the verge of something that could transform naval warfare. “We need a bigger fleet, and we also need a different fleet, one that will be able to fight in new ways,” Adm. John Richardson told reporters Monday. “My sense is that we’re on the dawn of something very substantial in terms of naval warfare. Something as substantial as the transition from sail to steam, as the transition from wood to ironclad, as substantial as the advent of nuclear propulsion in terms of what it means for naval power.” Richardson wouldn’t provide more specifics, but he was adamant about the need to quickly build up the Navy and regain advantages over the rapidly-improving Chinese and Russian navies. “We need to act urgently to achieve that greater...